Israel Health & Medicine:
Life Expectancy

(1996 - Present)

The World Health Organization issued a new report in May 2016 that concluded humans were on average living 5 years longer than they were 16 years prior, in 2000. Israel was ranked as the country with the 8th highest life expectancy in the world on the list, scoring above the United States, Canada, France, Russia, and other highly developed nations. Japan placed first on the list, with an average life expectancy of 86.8 years for both sexes.

The Taub Center for Social Policy Studies in Israel published a study on December 5, 2016, exploring the link between Israel's mandatory military service and an increased male life expectancy. Average male life expectancy in Israel is 81 years; the second highest in the world (tied with Iceland, Singapore and Switzerland). In the 34 other OECD countries women live an average of 5.5 years longer than men, but in Israel they only live 3 years longer. Many things factor into Israel's higher-than-average life expectancy according to the study, including the country's mandatory military service that gives citizens a healthy base for the rest of their lives, it's abundance of coastline, and proximity to the equator.